U.S. patent application number 13/983569 was filed with the patent office on 2013-12-12 for lock assembly with movable element.
The applicant listed for this patent is Effi Ben-Aharon. Invention is credited to Effi Ben-Aharon.
Application Number | 20130327102 13/983569 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44262738 |
Filed Date | 2013-12-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130327102 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ben-Aharon; Effi |
December 12, 2013 |
LOCK ASSEMBLY WITH MOVABLE ELEMENT
Abstract
A lock assembly (10) including a plug (12) having a keyway (14)
for inserting therein a key (16), the plug (12) arranged for
movement in a bore (18) formed in a lock body (20) along a shear
line (24) defined between an outer perimeter of the plug (12) and
an inner perimeter of the bore (18), and at least one movable
element (26, 28) slidingly disposed in an opening formed in the
plug (12), wherein insertion of the key in the keyway (14) without
movement of the plug (12) in the lock body (20) does not align the
at least one movable element (26, 28) with the shear line (24), but
movement of the plug (12) in the lock body (20) with the key (16)
inserted in the keyway (14) aligns the at least one movable element
(26, 28) with the shear line (24).
Inventors: |
Ben-Aharon; Effi; (Hod
HaSharon, IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Ben-Aharon; Effi |
Hod HaSharon |
|
IL |
|
|
Family ID: |
44262738 |
Appl. No.: |
13/983569 |
Filed: |
March 11, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
March 11, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US2012/028669 |
371 Date: |
August 4, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
70/493 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E05B 27/0042 20130101;
E05B 35/003 20130101; E05B 27/0021 20130101; Y10T 70/7605 20150401;
E05B 27/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
70/493 |
International
Class: |
E05B 27/08 20060101
E05B027/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 13, 2011 |
IL |
211697 |
Claims
1. A lock assembly comprising: a plug having a keyway for inserting
therein a key, said plug arranged for movement in a bore formed in
a lock body along a shear line defined between an outer perimeter
of said plug and an inner perimeter of said bore; wherein at least
one movable element is slidingly disposed in an opening formed in
said plug, wherein insertion of said key in said keyway without
movement of said plug in said lock body does not align said at
least one movable element with said shear line, but movement of
said plug in said lock body with said key inserted in said keyway
aligns said at least one movable element with said shear line.
2. A lock assembly comprising: a key comprising a shaft portion and
at least one movable key combination element retained within said
shaft portion; and a plug having a keyway for inserting therein
said key, said plug arranged for movement in a bore formed in a
lock body along a shear line defined between an outer perimeter of
said plug and an inner perimeter of said bore, wherein when said
key is fully inserted in said keyway, said at least one movable key
combination element protrudes beyond an outer surface of said shaft
portion only upon movement of said plug in said lock body.
3. The lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein said at least
one movable element comprises first and second movable elements
located in openings formed in said plug on different sides of said
keyway.
4. The lock assembly according to claim 1, further comprising at
least one plug pin slidingly disposed in a plug bore formed in said
plug, wherein insertion of said key in said keyway without movement
of said plug in said lock body aligns said at least one plug pin
with said shear line.
5. The lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein said at least
one movable element is not spring-loaded or biased in said
plug.
6. The lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein a portion of
said at least one movable element is received in a recess formed in
said lock body and moves out of said recess upon the movement of
said plug in said lock body.
7. The lock assembly according to claim 6, wherein said recess is
relatively wide facing said plug and tapers to a narrower width in
a direction away from said plug, said portion of said at least one
movable element having a complementary-tapered shape to fit in said
recess.
8. The lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein said at least
one movable element comprises a base and a protrusion protruding
from said base towards said shear line, and wherein a centerline of
said base is offset from a centerline of said plug.
9. The lock assembly according to claim 3, wherein a portion of
said first movable element is received in a recess formed in said
lock body and moves out of said recess upon the movement of said
plug in said lock body, and wherein said opening in which said
second movable element is disposed is formed with a counterbore
facing said shear line and opposite to said recess.
10. The lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein said key
comprises a shaft portion and at least one movable key combination
element retained within said shaft portion, said at least one
movable element touching said at least one movable key combination
element when said key is inserted in said keyway.
11. The lock assembly according to claim 3, wherein said key
comprises a shaft portion and at least one movable key combination
element retained within said shaft portion, and wherein said first
and second movable elements touch opposite sides of said at least
one movable key combination element when said key is inserted in
said keyway.
12. The lock assembly according to claim 3, wherein said second
movable element is arranged to move against a driver pin slidingly
disposed in said lock body, said driver pin applying a biasing
force towards said second movable element, and wherein said driver
pin extends into said opening when said key is inserted in said
keyway and moves out of said opening only upon said movement of
said plug in said lock body.
13. The lock assembly according to claim 9, wherein said second
movable element is arranged to move against a driver pin slidingly
disposed in said lock body, said driver pin applying a biasing
force towards said second movable element, and wherein said driver
pin extends into said counterbore when said key is inserted in said
keyway before said plug moves in said lock body, and wherein upon
said movement of said plug in said lock body, said first movable
element moves against said at least one movable key combination
element, which moves against said second movable element, which
moves against said driver pin, overcoming said biasing force and
causing said driver pin to move out of said counterbore to permit
rotation.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to locking apparatus generally
and more particularly to a lock assembly with a movable element
that aligns with a shear line only upon movement of a plug in a
lock body.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] As is well known in the art, cylinder locks generally
include a plug (also called tumbler) arranged for rotation in a
cylinder lock housing. Plug pins are slidingly disposed in the plug
and are arranged to move against driver pins, which are disposed in
bores formed in the cylinder lock housing and are spring biased
toward the axis of the plug rotation. Insertion of a properly cut
key in a keyway provided in the plug moves the plug pins against
the driver pins and aligns all the pins along a shear line defined
by the plug outer circumference, thereby permitting rotation of the
plug to cause operation of a latch or locking mechanism.
[0003] In the prior art, insertion of the key brings all the plug
pins to the shear line before rotation of the plug.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention seeks to provide a novel lock assembly
with a movable element that aligns with the shear line only upon
movement of the plug in the lock body, as is described more in
detail hereinbelow.
[0005] There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of
the present invention a lock assembly including a plug having a
keyway for inserting therein a key, the plug arranged for movement
in a bore formed in a lock body along a shear line defined between
an outer perimeter of the plug and an inner perimeter of the bore,
and at least one movable element slidingly disposed in an opening
formed in the plug, wherein insertion of the key in the keyway
without movement of the plug in the lock body does not align the at
least one movable element with the shear line, but movement of the
plug in the lock body (for example, rotation of the plug about a
rotation axis) with the key inserted in the keyway aligns the at
least one movable element with the shear line.
[0006] There is also provided in accordance with an embodiment of
the present invention a lock assembly including a key including a
shaft portion and at least one movable key combination element
retained within the shaft portion, and a plug having a keyway for
inserting therein the key, the plug arranged for movement in a bore
formed in a lock body along a shear line defined between an outer
perimeter of the plug and an inner perimeter of the bore, wherein
when the key is fully inserted in the keyway, the at least one
movable key combination element protrudes beyond an outer surface
of the shaft portion only upon movement of the plug in the lock
body.
[0007] Non-limiting embodiments of the invention include one or
more of the following features.
[0008] The at least one movable element includes first and second
movable elements located in openings formed in the plug on opposite
sides of the keyway. The first and second movable elements may be
shaped differently.
[0009] The lock assembly also includes at least one plug pin
slidingly disposed in a plug bore formed in the plug, wherein
insertion of the key in the keyway without movement of the plug in
the lock body aligns the at least one plug pin with the shear
line.
[0010] The at least one movable element does not have to be
spring-loaded or biased in the plug.
[0011] A portion of the at least one movable element is received in
a recess formed in the lock body and moves out of the recess upon
the movement of the plug in the lock body. The recess is relatively
wide facing the plug and tapers to a narrower width in a direction
away from the plug, the portion of the at least one movable element
having a complementary-tapered shape to fit in the recess. The at
least one movable element includes a base and a protrusion
protruding from the base towards the shear line, and wherein a
centerline of the base is offset from a centerline of the plug.
[0012] The opening in which the second movable element is disposed
is formed with a counterbore facing the shear line and opposite to
the recess.
[0013] The key includes a shaft portion and at least one movable
key combination element retained within the shaft portion, the at
least one movable element touching the at least one movable key
combination element when the key is inserted in the keyway.
[0014] The first and second movable elements touch opposite sides
of the at least one movable key combination element when the key is
inserted in the keyway.
[0015] The second movable element is arranged to move against a
driver pin slidingly disposed in the lock body. The driver pin
applies a biasing force towards the second movable element. The
driver pin extends into the counterbore when the key is inserted in
the keyway before the plug moves in the lock body. Upon the
movement of the plug in the lock body, the first movable element
moves against the at least one movable key combination element,
which moves against the second movable element, which moves against
the driver pin, overcoming the biasing force and causing the driver
pin to move out of the counterbore to permit rotation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The present invention will be understood and appreciated
more fully from the following detailed description, taken in
conjunction with the drawings in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a simplified pictorial illustration of a lock
assembly, constructed and operative in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] FIGS. 2-5 are simplified sectional illustrations of the lock
assembly of FIG. 1, taken along lines A-A in FIG. 1, wherein:
[0019] FIG. 2 illustrates the lock assembly with no key inserted in
the keyway of the plug;
[0020] FIG. 3 illustrates the lock assembly with a key inserted in
the keyway, before moving (e.g., rotating) the plug;
[0021] FIG. 4 illustrates initial movement (e.g., rotation) of the
plug, wherein a first movable element on one side of the key starts
to move out of a recess formed in the lock body and a second
movable element on the other side of the key depresses a driver
pin;
[0022] FIG. 5 illustrates further movement (e.g., rotation) of the
plug, wherein the first movable element has moved along the shear
line away from the recess and the second movable element has moved
along the shear line away from the driver pin;
[0023] FIG. 6 is a simplified pictorial illustration of a key used
with the lock assembly of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 7 is a simplified sectional illustration of the key
inserted in the lock assembly at a different section of the lock
assembly, taken along lines B-B in FIG. 1, wherein in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention, another plug pin
aligns with the shear line upon insertion of the key in the keyway
without movement of the plug in the lock body; and
[0025] FIG. 8 is a simplified sectional illustration of a different
embodiment of the lock assembly, in which the movable element is
not offset from the centerline of the plug.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0026] Reference is now made to FIGS. 1 and 2, which illustrates a
lock assembly 10, constructed and operative in accordance with a
non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] In the illustrated embodiment, lock assembly 10 includes a
plug 12 having a keyway 14 for inserting therein a key 16 (not
shown in FIG. 2). Plug 12 is arranged for movement in a bore 18
formed in a lock body 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the
movement of the plug 12 is rotation about a rotation axis 22, which
is the longitudinal central axis of the plug (FIG. 1). However, the
invention is not limited to rotation, and the invention can be
carried out with a plug that moves linearly in a lock body, for
example. In the illustrated embodiment, lock body 20 is a European
profile cylinder lock body, but the invention is not limited to
such a lock body. A shear line 24 is defined between an outer
perimeter of plug 12 and an inner perimeter of bore 18.
[0028] One or more movable elements are slidingly disposed in
openings formed in plug 12. In the illustrated embodiment, there is
a first movable element 26 and a second movable element 28 located
in openings 30 and 32, respectively, formed in plug 12 on opposite
sides of keyway 14. The first and second movable elements 26 and 28
may be shaped differently. For example, the first movable element
26 includes a base 34 and a protrusion 36 protruding from base 34
towards shear line 24, and the centerline of base 34 is offset from
the centerline of plug 12. (FIG. 8 illustrates a different
embodiment, in which a first movable element 26A is not offset from
the centerline of plug 12.) The second movable element 28 may be a
multiple pin or telescoping pin element, having an inner pin 38 and
an outer pin 40. A portion 42 of the first movable element 26 may
be initially received in a recess 44 formed in lock body 20. Recess
44 is relatively wide facing plug 12 and tapers to a narrower width
in a direction away from plug 12. Portion 42 has a
complementary-tapered shape to fit in recess 44. The opening 32, in
which second movable element 28 is disposed, is formed with a
counterbore 46 facing the shear line 24 and opposite to recess
44.
[0029] It is noted that the movable elements 26 and 28 are not
spring-loaded or biased (although in alternative embodiments, at
least one of them may be). It is also noted that the movable
elements 26 and 28 are shown as moving perpendicular to the key,
but alternatively they can move at other angles as well, and
different from each other.
[0030] Lock assembly 10 also includes one or more driver pins 48
slidingly disposed in lock body 20. Driver pin 48 applies a biasing
force towards second movable element 28, such as by means of a
spring 50 (or magnet or other biasing device). Driver pin 48 may be
a multiple pin or telescoping pin element, having an inner pin 52
and an outer pin 54.
[0031] In the position shown in FIG. 2, with no key inserted,
driver pin 48 pushes against second movable element 28, which in
turn pushes against first movable element 26, thereby forcing
portion 42 into recess 44.
[0032] Reference is now made to FIG. 3, which illustrates key 16
inserted in keyway 14, before moving (e.g., rotating) plug 12. Key
16, also shown in FIG. 6, may be, but not necessarily, constructed
similarly to the key device of PCT application
[0033] PCT/US2009/054835 (published as WO 2010/27760). Key 16
includes a shaft portion 56 and one or more movable key combination
elements 58 retained within shaft portion 56. As seen in FIG. 3,
the movable elements 26 and 28 touch the movable key combination
element 58 (or in the illustrated embodiment, one of them) when key
16 is inserted in keyway 14.
[0034] Key 16, with its one or more movable key combination
elements 58, will eventually align the movable elements with the
shear line upon movement of the plug, as is explained below. In
addition, as seen in FIG. 7, the lock assembly 10 may include one
or more plug pins 60 (at different longitudinal positions in the
plug 12), and key 16 may be formed with one or more key cuts 62
(FIG. 6) that align plug pin 60 with the shear line 24 upon
insertion in keyway 14 without movement of plug 12 in lock body
20.
[0035] However, referring again to FIG. 3, it is seen that
insertion of key 16 in keyway 14 without movement of plug 12 in
lock body 20 does not align the movable elements 26 and 28 with the
shear line 24. The driver pin 48 extends into counterbore 46 when
key 16 is inserted in keyway 14 before plug 12 moves in lock body
20.
[0036] Reference is now made to FIG. 4, which illustrates initial
movement (e.g., rotation) of plug 12. Portion 42 of first movable
element 26 starts to move out of recess 44 and second movable
element 28 depresses driver pin 48. Accordingly, upon movement of
plug 12 in lock body 20, first movable element 26 moves against
movable key combination element 58, which moves against second
movable element 28, which moves against driver pin 48, overcoming
the biasing force of spring 50 and causing driver pin 48 to move
out of counterbore 46 to permit rotation of plug 12.
[0037] It is noted that the chamfered shape of the portion 42
allows it to move out of the tapered shape of recess 44. It is
further noted that if there were no counterbore 46, driver pin 48
would abut against the wall of opening 32 and it would not be
possible to rotate plug 12.
[0038] Reference is now made to FIG. 5. First movable element 26
has moved along shear line 24 away from recess 44, and second
movable element 28 has moved along shear line 24 away from driver
pin 48. Plug 12 turns freely along shear line 24.
[0039] It is noted that when key 16 is fully inserted in keyway 14
(i.e., cannot be inserted any further in keyway 14), the movable
key combination element 58 protrudes beyond an outer surface of
shaft portion 56 only upon movement of plug 12 in lock body 20. In
prior art keys that are provided with a movable key combination
element, the movable key combination element protrudes beyond the
outer surface of the key shaft even before movement of the plug in
the lock body, in response to touching a pin element in the
plug.
[0040] The scope of the present invention includes both
combinations and subcombinations of the features described
hereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereof which
would occur to a person of skill in the art upon reading the
foregoing description and which are not in the prior art.
* * * * *